


If Only You Knew

by honolulu_starbright



Series: 'Til Death Do Us Part? [1]
Category: The A-Team (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2014-08-28
Packaged: 2018-02-15 04:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2216556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honolulu_starbright/pseuds/honolulu_starbright
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a mission Face finds himself with a price on his head and the mobs out to kill him. Hannibal thinks of a plan to help him get rid of the bad guys but Face is afraid that plan won´t go down at all well with Murdock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If Only You Knew

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, this is my first A-team fic (been a fan of the series since forever though) and my first fic on here period. Hope you guys enjoy it :). Two more parts are on their way. Oh and I'm no expert on the Vietnam War so I apologize in advance for any mistakes.

Giovanni was locked up, thanks to the A-team. But as Face was found out there was now a price on his head. Someone had to pay for the imprisonment of their boss and since Face was the only one the mobsters knew to be involved, he was now in danger.  
‘I’m in one sticky situation Hannibal’ Face noted, looking at the colonel.  
The latter nodded ‘But don’t worry, I know just how to get you out of it. Mind you, it’s a complicated and elaborate plan but I’m sure it will work.’  
Face frowned, he didn’t like sound of complicated and elaborate but it was not like he was safe now ‘Explain if you please.’  
Hannibal smiled ‘Of course. But first of all you must promise me that you will not let B.A. or Murdock in on this. It is vital that they know nothing. It’s going to be tough, really tough but you can’t drop a single word to them. Can you promise me that Face?’  
The conman nodded, already feeling a strong reluctance towards Hannibal’s plan.  
‘Now listen up’ the colonel started explaining ‘In order to get out of this you must die. You must let them shoot you.’ Seeing Face’s face he chuckled ‘Let me put it this way; you must let them think they shot you. Now, we know they have been on you for weeks so any day now they will try and kill you.’  
‘And you’re saying they only way to be free of them is to let them think they succeeded?’ Face did not even try to hide the disbelief from his voice.  
‘Yes. So the plan is as follows: there’s a big shootout in the street, you get shot and we bury you. You disappear for a couple of months and resurface in another part of town. Maybe change your hair a bit, they’ll never guess it’s you.’  
Looking at Hannibal Face shook his head, still not quite convinced ‘And how do I get shot without getting shot?’  
Hannibal grinned and gave him a one word answer ‘Padding.’

When they had gone through the details Face suddenly thought of something or rather someone, by the name of James Murdock.  
‘Hannibal, I must tell Murdock about this, I have to.’  
But the colonel shook his head ‘No you absolutely cannot, I told you that already Face.’  
‘I sure hope you know what you are doing Hannibal, this is going to destroy him. More than ‘Nam ever could.’  
Hannibal frowned ‘He’ll have me. I promise you Face I will look after him, every step of the way.’  
But Face shook his head at his friends promise ‘It’s not the same.’

Face just knew it wouldn’t be the same. Of course Hannibal loved Murdock and Murdock trusted the colonel with his life. But what Murdock and Face had was something entirely different. They had a bond that ran so deep there were really no words to describe it.  
It had started back in Vietnam. Right after their first mission as a team Face had been in ruins. He was completely devastated. No wonder, he was only 19 years old at the time. Thank God Murdock had been there, 3 years older and all strength and comfort.

_‘_ _You okay there little buddy?’_   
_Face’s head snapped up and he saw the tall chopper pilot approach him._   
_‘Yeah, yeah I think I am..’ he paused ‘It’s just…I can’t get these images out of my head..’ His voice trailed off as he looked at the pilot, expecting him to mock Face or laugh at him._   
_But the man did no such thing. Instead he sat on his knees in front of Face and took Face’s hands in his ‘It’s the dead bodies isn’t it? The mutilated corpses?’ His voice was soft and warm, his eyes inquisitive._   
_Face nodded and suddenly he noticed he was shivering. And before he knew what was happening the chopper pilot pulled him into a strong hug ‘Ssh, it’s okay. Don’t cry bud.’_   
_Was he crying? Bringing a finger to his cheeks he realized he was. Normally he would have been uncomfortable with a stranger hugging him but now he felt safe and to his own embarrassment he buried his face in the crook of the man’s neck, who said nothing of it._   
_When the pilot let him go he managed to produce a shaky smile and his new friend smiled back at him ‘Feeling a bit better kid?’_   
_Face nodded ‘Yes, God I feel like an idiot.’_   
_‘No, don’t do that to yourself. This fear, this conscience is what makes you human. We’re at war, we’re killing other people. You’d be insane if you didn’t feel bad.’_   
_Face nodded quietly._   
_His friend put a strong hand on Face’s shoulder ‘But don’t ever keep it inside. You can always come talk to me if it threatens to overwhelm you. My name is Murdock by the way, James Murdock but everyone calls me either Murdock or H.M.’_   
_‘Pleasure to meet you, my name is Templeton Peck but everyone calls me Face. What does the H.M. stand for?’_   
_Suddenly Murdock flashed a grin at him that stirred something inside Face ‘Howling Mad!’_   
_Then he turned on his heel and stalked off ‘Sorry, got some business to attend to’ he called over his shoulder ‘See you around.’_

From that moment onwards they’d been friends, which had turned into best friends and a few months after that Face got a chance to repay the kindness Murdock had shown him.

 _They entered some small town, the name of which Face couldn’t even pronounce, not that far from Da Nang. The whole place smelled of death, it was horrible. Bodies were strewn across the street. None of their unit knew what to say, they’d landed in hell. The best thing for it was to just turn back were it not that suddenly Murdock broke into a run. It didn’t take Face long to figure out why; a tiny figure lying in the middle of a dirt road. It was a girl, she couldn’t be older than nine. Her body was riddled with bullets but by some miracle she was still breathing and conscious, her face twisted in pain. When Face got there Murdock was already tearing up his shirt, making bandages for all her wounds. When he’d covered most of them he picked her up. And the pilot was so tender, so careful that it broke Face’s heart. She wasn’t going to live but Murdock still tried._  
 _Suddenly Hannibal spoke up ‘Murdock, what are you doing?’  
Their friend gave them a pleading look, he was begging them to understand ‘I can’t leave her here’ he said, his voice surprisingly even_. ‘ _I can’t leave her here to die on some dusty road in the middle of nowhere. All this, this hell we’re in, it’s not her fault.’_  
 _Hannibal looked at him for a moment and nodded, saying nothing more._  
 _Murdock hurried towards the helicopter but just as he got there his body went rigid and then slumped. Face understood what had happened. When he reached his friend he put an arm around his shoulders ‘I’m so sorry’ Face mumbled._  
 _Murdock then put her down in the grass at the side of the road, got in his chopper without as much as a backward glance and spoke no more of the matter._  
 _To Face it was over and done with as soon as they got back to camp and he pretty much figured it was the same for the rest of them. They hadn’t said a word about it, not even Murdock. It wasn’t until later that night that Face realized how wrong he’d been._  
 _He hadn’t seen Murdock since dinner and was just getting ready for bed when he heard heavy breathing coming from Murdock’s bunk. When Face pulled the curtain aside he found his friend trying with all his might to keep it together. But as soon as Face sat down on his bed and pulled him into a hug he broke down. Loud sobs escaped Murdock’s chest and it seemed like the tears wouldn’t stop coming._  
 _‘Ssh Murdock, you tried buddy. You know that.’_  
 _‘She shouldn’t have died Face’ the captain managed to choke out._  
 _Face nodded and held Murdock close against his bare chest, allowing him to cry as much as he liked._  
 _When the pilot had calmed somewhat he spoke again ‘Those children are not the enemy. They’re dragged into a war that’s not theirs. They’re supposed to be the future Face. How can there ever be a future if the young get gunned down and the old survive, ruined and fucked up as we are.’_  
 _‘You’re not old, Murdock. You still have a life ahead of you.’_  
 _The captain let out a humourless bark of laughter ‘Not old? I feel ancient. Living is not for me, not anymore. Even if I survive this shithole I will forever be trapped in it. I will never make it out of this jungle.’_  
 _Face was stunned into silence by Murdock’s words. He had never seen this side of him and he hadn’t had any idea Murdock was suffering this badly._  
 _He chose his next words carefully ‘Murdock we will get out of here, together, You’re my best friend, my closest buddy and I will help you make it out of here. We stick together you and I and we will get through this. I would never leave you behind. I’d rather die.’ As he said those words he realized his true feelings for Murdock might run a little deeper than just friendship._  
 _‘Thank you’ Murdock whispered, looking into Face’s eyes for the longest time. And when their lips met it was in the gentlest fashion._

After that night Face had argued endlessly with Murdock. _What if they were caught? What if someone found out, somehow? It was Nam, it was war, it was the army! They couldn’t!_ But Murdock had silenced all those doubts with one simple remark _This is Nam, this is war and this is the army. We might die tomorrow so if not now, when?_ And Face had realized Murdock was right. And now he had to leave the captain behind for God knows how long. Murdock had survived Nam for him, he’d found himself inside the damnation in his head, just for Face. And now Face was leaving; it would be the death of Murdock. Face realized he had to warn him, somehow, of what was coming. Of course he had to warn him without giving anything away because then Hannibal would kill him before the mobsters ever got the chance.   
 


End file.
